Asbestos problem grows after three more park detections

Sections of Crofts, Hosken and Lynch reserves have been fenced off following tests for asbestos. (Joel Carrett/AAP PHOTOS)

Three Melbourne reserves are the latest park locations where asbestos has been detected after the toxic material was found in two other parks.

The reserves in Altona North in Melbourne's southwest were closed on Friday evening after testing confirmed the presence of asbestos-containing material.

Sections of Crofts, Hosken and Lynch reserves have since been fenced off.

"Council will work with a material hygienist and the Environment Protection Authority Victoria to conduct remediation works on all these sites," the council said in a statement.

An EPA spokeswoman said the agency is aware of asbestos-containing material identified at the reserves and is working with the council as investigations continue.

"While EPA understands only very small amounts of material were located, all suspected asbestos contamination must be taken seriously," she said.

The discoveries come as asbestos-contaminated soil was detected at a park at a different Hosken Reserve in Coburg North as the park underwent upgrades. 

A Merri-bek City Council spokeswoman confirmed on Friday asbestos was first found at the site in late January.

There was no evidence to suggest this incident was related to other asbestos cases.

The issue kicked off on Monday after a father found fragments of asbestos mixed with mulch and other building materials at the Donald McLean Reserve in Spotswood, also in the Hobsons Bay council area.

The EPA tested mulch products from the producer who supplied the material at the Spotswood reserve and did not find any asbestos, deeming the source was the illegal dumping of construction and demolition waste.

Testing was triggered after fragments of bonded asbestos were detected in Sydney's Rozelle Parklands in January followed by positive detections in Queensland.

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